It is easy to recognize a sore knee, toothache, or stomach pain. But often, it is much harder to understand when our minds are not doing well, especially over a prolonged period of time. We’ve prepared some red flags of poor mental wellbeing that may help you in self-assessment:
- Feeling Overwhelmed: “It feels like it’s too much to handle.”
- Neglecting Personal Care: “I’m so caught up in my work that I often forget to eat or sleep properly.”
- Social Withdrawal: “I keep turning down invitations from my friends because I just don’t have the energy to socialize anymore.”
- Lack of Energy: “Even small, basic tasks feel really exhausting lately.”
- Difficulty Concentrating: “I sit down to read a paper, but I just cannot seem to focus, no matter how hard I try.”
- Lack of Interest/Motivation: “I feel like I no longer enjoy things that used to bring me joy. Everything feels pointless and exhausting.”
- Frequent Anxiety or Panic Attacks
If you notice that you frequently have any of these thoughts, reach out for help immediately. The sooner, the better. Or, if you notice someone around you, like a colleague or a friend, expressing similar feelings, let them know. A few words from a trusted person can make a difference in acknowledging a difficult situation.
In Switzerland, your first point of contact can be your general practitioner (also called a ‘family doctor’). Go to them and explain your situation; they can offer initial support and prescribe up to 15 sessions of psychotherapy. If you need to talk to someone immediately, you can always call 143 (English, Italian, German and French).
Let’s be open, let’s be helpful.
Simone Pengue, Ines Böhm, Alexandra Polyakova, Emily Meachon
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